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GENESIS 8:20-22; 9:8-17 LESSON: THE RAINBOW — September 3, 2017

SYNOPSIS:

The days of the Flood had occurred and the waters prevailed, and now God remembers Noah, and every

living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the Ark. So, He made a wind blow over the earth, and the

waters subsided (8:1).

At the end of 150 days the waters stopped and the Ark rested in the 7th month on the 17th day upon the

mountains of Ararat. The waters continually decreased until the 10th month on the 1st day of the month, and

then tops of the mountains could be seen. At the end of 40 days, Noah opened the window of the Ark and

sends out a raven that flew back and forth until the earth was dry. Now, Noah sends out a dove to see if the

waters were still too high, and if it could find dry ground. The dove was not able to find rest for the sole of its

feet, so it returned to Noah for the water was still too high. In 7 more days, Noah sent the dove out of the Ark

again and towards the evening the dove returned to the Ark with an olive leaf in its mouth (beak). Now, Noah

knows that the waters had diminished from the earth. Noah waited another 7 days, sending the dove out and it

didn’t return to the Ark (8:3-12).

The 600th year and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the

earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the ground was dry. By the 2nd month on

the 27th day, the earth was completely dry. Then God spoke to Noah and told him to bring his family out of the

Ark and every living creature that was with him in the Ark, so they can multiply (breed abundantly) in the earth

and be fruitful and increase in number on it. And Noah did as he was told (8:13-19).

I. GOD’S PROMISE Genesis 8:20-22

8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean

fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. After coming out of the Ark, Noah built an altar to the Lord

by taking (one?) of every clean beast, and (one?) of every clean fowl, and offering burnt offerings on the altar.

Mind you, what did Noah see when he stepped out of the Ark? Was it devastation? A barren chaos all over the

land after God brought judgment? But, whatever it was, Noah stepped out in obedience; he was instructed to

come out of the Ark, just as he was instructed to preach one message for 120 years it’s gonna rain. He

knew that when the whole earth flooded, it was because of man’s disobedience. And he knew how to still obey

and give reverence to God after departing the Ark! God was still speaking because he knew how to take the

clean beast and the clean fowl and place them on the altar. He put God first before building a house, or making

a merry celebration.

The altar was where he and his family would worship God, thereby honoring God; to invite God’s presence

in, where He would be approachable, and where man was to become acceptable to Him. In the Old

Testament, the godly line of believers worshipped God primarily at altars and approached God through the

sacrifice or the shed blood of animals.

The burnt offering is the offering that a person offered when he wanted to thank and praise God; make renewed

commitments. The burnt offering is not to be eaten by man, but was to all be consumed on the altar as a gift to

God. 1The sons of Adam had built no altar for their offerings, because God was still present on the earth . It seems

1 http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/8-22.htm

LESSON:

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that the burnt offering is first mentioned here in Noah’s time. God had to place this on his heart. We would

later find out in the Levitical Laws given by Moses that…

I. Four animals were used in animal sacrifices. The rich sacrificed the larger animals and the poor the small birds.

1. A bullock or an ox (Lev.1:5).

2. A sheep or lamb (Lev.1:10).

3. A goat (Lev.1:10).

4. A pigeon or turtle-dove (Lev.1:14).

II. The burnt offering was a freewill offering. God did not force man to come (Lev.1:3).

III. The animal offered and sacrificed was always to be a clean animal; free from blemishes, disease,

injuries, or defects of any kind.

IV. The animal was sacrificed meaning its life was given up and its blood shed as a substitute or ransom for

the person’s sins.

V. The animal would then be burned upon the altar. This symbolized the holiness and wrath of God.

a. Judging and consuming the sin being borne by the animal.

b. Purifying that which was impure.

8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the

ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither

will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

VI. God saw the fear and apprehension of Noah’s heart, but God also saw Noah’s worship. The smell that

arose from the burning meat was a pleasing, satisfying aroma. This symbolizes that the sacrifice pleased

and satisfied God. It satisfied God’s holiness and makes one acceptable to God. However, God saw beyond

the animal sacrifice to the death of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the sins of the world which is future

tense. God sees the end at the beginning.

VII. God was not only looking at Noah but beyond and said "I will not again curse the ground any more for

man's sake." God made five great promises to Noah and mankind.

1. God promised to never again curse the earth with a flood despite man’s depravity and sinfulness.

2. God purposed to never again destroy life upon earth with a universal flood, neither man nor animal.

This now shows God’s great pleasure to Noah’s sacrifice and God’s great promise to Noah and the human

race. God saw the horror of Noah when he looked around upon the devastated and barren earth, covered

with scattered debris everywhere. God saw the questions flooding Noah’s mind, wondering if God would

launch the judgment and flooding again, for he and his dear family were still of Adam’s race; still sinful

and sure to sin in the future because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. God repeats this

verse from Genesis 6:5, for He had seen man’s wickedness before the flood.

8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter,

and day and night shall not cease. God still makes His promises that while the earth remains...

3. The guarantee of the times and seasons of the earth will not cease while the earth remains. God

purposed to give assurance to those who have survived this horrific flood and to us in the future.

There is seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night. The order of

nature which was destroyed by the flood is restored. Therefore they are able to plan for the future.

Sowing and reaping would still be a reality while the earth remains. The cycle or planting seed is

followed by reaping the harvest. There will be seasons of cold and heat; summer and winter. There

will be day and night. God established the cycles for our living—time to plant—time to grow—time to

harvest—time to rest—time of seasons.

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II. GOD’S COVENANT Genesis 9:8-11

9:8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,After God told Noah and his sons to

be fruitful and multiply; repopulate the earth (9:7), God speaks to Noah and his sons again.

9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

4. God says I, behold, I establish my covenant!

The Author of this Covenant is God. He keeps hold of. He establishes His covenant with Noah and it continues

to Noah’s seed after him. A "covenant" is an agreement between two parties. Each party agrees to do something.

However, in the "Noahic Covenant", the promise of God is an unconditional covenant that He would never send

another flood to destroy all life on the earth. He didn’t lay down any condition that man had to obey. It would be

fulfilled no matter what Noah and the rest of mankind do. It could be called:

A one way covenant an unconditional covenant a covenant of grace a covenant of promise

9:10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of

the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. God didn’t leave anybody

out. Both man and animal—all that came out of the Ark was to be kept hold of and established by God’s covenant.

9:11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the

waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. God establishes His

covenant, promising that no flesh will be cut off, or destroyed any more by the waters of a flood to devastate,

or to destroy the earth. The Flood did not change the character of mankind, nor did it return him to the position of

innocence which he enjoyed before the Fall. But, it was a warning to man that God will not tolerate sin and

whenever man chooses to sin, divine judgment will soon follow. Yet, never again will that judgment be in the

form of a universal globe-encircling flood.

III. GOD’S TOKEN Genesis 9:12-17

9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every

living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

5. God now makes a token; a sign; proof of the covenant between He, Noah’s family, every living

creature with him, and for perpetual generations.

9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

God sets His rainbow which is a seal of His covenant. It would appear in the mist of the cloud when man had

reason to fear the rain prevailing.

9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the

cloud: Then God would show this seal of the promise that it shall not prevail, but bring comfort for those in

the earth. The rainbow is there to assure us at the end of every rainstorm, the bow shall be seen in the cloud.

29:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature

of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. God has no problem

remembering His covenant between Him and every living creature of all flesh. But He knows within Himself that

the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. He is a faithful God to us!

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9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting

covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. God remembers

the everlasting covenant between He and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth because of the

token of the bow He set in the cloud. And when He looks at it, He remembers. So, 2as God looks at the rainbow

He remembers the covenant, so should we, that we may be mindful of the covenant with faith and thankfulness.

9:17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between

me and all flesh that is upon the earth. God tells Noah again of the token, sign, proof of the covenant

which He has established between He and all flesh upon the earth. God really wants them to get this, for He

repeats it over and over again. The covenant and token were double assurance of safety and security.

SUMMARY:

8:20-22 After coming out of the Ark, Noah built an altar to the Lord by taking of every clean beast, and of

every clean fowl, and offering burnt offerings on the altar. The fragrance of Noah’s offering ascended to God

and it pleased Him, thereby saying, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; neither will I

again smite any more every thing living, as I have done, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his

youth." God purposed to give assurance to those who have survived this horrific flood and to us in the future,

saying "While the earth remains there will be planting, harvesting, cold and heat, summer and winter and day

and night shall not cease."

9:8-11 God speaks to Noah and his sons again. God says I, behold (He keeps hold of), I establish my covenant!

God didn’t leave anybody out. Both man and animal—all that came out of the Ark was to be kept hold of and

established by God’s covenant. No flesh shall be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there

be a flood to destroy the earth any more.

9:12-17 God now makes a token; a sign; proof of the covenant between He, Noah’s family, every living

creature with him, and for perpetual generations. The sign or token or seal is a bow (a rainbow) set in the mist

of the cloud as His covenant between He and the earth. The rainbow is there to assure us at the end of every

rainstorm, the bow shall be seen in the cloud. And God is faithful to remember His covenant between Him and

every living creature of all flesh. The bow in the cloud shows that He remembers. God tells Noah again that

this is the token of the covenant that He established between Him and all flesh that is upon the earth.

2 http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/9-13.htm